


Mounting A Defense

by quelling



Series: Tool Box series [5]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-01
Updated: 2012-12-01
Packaged: 2017-11-19 23:12:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/578666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quelling/pseuds/quelling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles tries to talk to Derek on his own terms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mounting A Defense

**Author's Note:**

> Part 5/6
> 
> Rated for Teen audiences because of language and a naughty implication.
> 
> Unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.

Stiles still couldn’t believe he was supposed to be Derek’s mate. And while Lydia couldn’t believe Derek had actually figured it out on his own, Stiles was more upset the Alpha had chosen to tell others before Stiles himself. He was having a difficult time getting over it, especially since Derek wasn’t particularly interested in discussing it. Fortunately, (or not if you were Derek), Stiles could talk enough for the both of him. Or at least, he’d try.

He was waiting for the werewolf at the cemetery, at his mother’s plot. There was a tree right beside her headstone, and he sat on a blanket leaning against it. The grave was well taken care of, weeds regularly pulled and plants tended, though they were dormant in winter. Still, the area showed care.

Derek arrived in his Camaro, not even trying to creep. Stiles chose to take that as a positive sign. The werewolf made his way across the cemetery, and Stiles tried to ignore how much he enjoyed just looking at him. It wasn’t as if he liked the man for his looks alone, Stiles was hardly that shallow, but the physical attraction was undeniably strong.

“Lydia said you wanted to see me,” Derek finally spoke, tone soft, careful even.

Stiles pointed to a nearby tree, several feet away, with a similar blanket on the ground, waiting on Derek. ”Have a seat and talk with me?”

Derek didn’t try to approach Stiles, accepting the invitation to sit where indicated. They were close enough to still be intimate, informal even, but there was plenty of space too. Stiles figured they’d both need it.

“You probably wonder why I asked you here,” Stiles began.

Derek shook his head at him. ”No, I know why. And I know you visit your Mom’s grave here once a week, without fail. So even though you felt this was neutral territory, you also feel bolstered by her — presence.”

Stiles blinked at him. Not only because that was practically a speech from Derek, but he was so spot on in his assessment. ”How did you know that? Do you spy on me?” There was no venom in the accusation; he sounded more surprised than anything.

“I _protect_ you,” Derek corrected him. ”I also know I couldn’t touch you right now if I tried because you put mountain ash around her plot shortly after Deaton showed you how to use it.”

Stiles gaped at him, mouth flapping a bit like a fish, but no words coming out. He finally managed to speak again. ”Do you know why too then?”

“I suspect because of what happened here when that omega was tearing up graves. And because _this_ is something — someone — you can protect,” Derek answered sounding matter-of-fact. His tone gentled significantly before he continued. ”But we both know she’s not here.”

Stiles swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple jerking in his throat. ”I still didn’t want her resting place disturbed.”

Derek nodded, and his gaze was kind with understanding. ”You’re a good son, Stiles.”

Stiles was completely caught off guard now. This wasn’t going at all as he’d planned. For one, Derek knew him better than he’d ever realized. And Derek was talking to him. Okay, maybe this was going even better than he’d anticipated, but he clearly wasn’t in control of the situation. Stiles had never considered himself a controlling person, but ever since Derek had told that Alpha pack they were mates, he had felt powerless. He had hoped this conversation would fix that.

Right. It was time to get back on point. ”I’ve been functioning at a high level of anger at you, Derek. You might call it outrage. Yep, outrage, that’s a good word for it.”

“I should have talked to you before anyone else,” Derek agreed immediately.

“Well, yes!” Stiles spluttered. Somehow Derek’s easy admission hadn’t cauterized the wound, not a bit, and Stiles was beginning to be irritated by how easy Derek was being about all of this. “I feel like I was a hammer you used to fix a problem and now I’m supposed to go back into the tool box, meek and quiet until I’m needed again. And you didn’t even ask how I felt about being used!”

Derek winced at that, but didn’t interrupt this time.

“You know another reason I wanted to talk here? Because my parents had a good relationship. They talked about things. Sometimes they argued, but they cleared the air and communicated, and were better for it,” Stiles gestured at Derek. ”You don’t talk to me — at all! Two months ago, if someone had said you considered me a friend, I would have laughed.”

“Two months ago I didn’t realize you were my mate, not consciously,” Derek pointed out calmly. ”But I did consider you my friend.”

“What do you want from me?” Stiles finally asked after a long moment of silence. ”I’m not going to let you boss me around. I’m not going to let you tell me how things are going to be.”

“Stiles.” The tone of Derek’s voice gave Stiles butterflies, but he tried to push them down. Why was he reacting like this, when the werewolf had only said his name? _Unfair_.

Derek shook his head at Stiles’ expression and chuckled, looking bemused. ”You do realize you’re not only jailbait, but you’re also the Sheriff’s son? I wasn’t going to rush into anything. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t going to pursue you eventually.”

“And you expect me to just wait until you get around to sparing the time to attend to my pursuit?! Again, all this is information you might have shared!”

“What, you didn’t know you were jailbait?” Derek teased.

Stiles huffed at him, crossing his arms over his chest. It did nothing to promote his maturity.

Derek just smiled. Actually smiled. ”You like words don’t you, Stiles? You certainly use them like a master. Or a weapon. According to who you’re talking to.” The smile slowly faded, and Derek nodded at the younger man. ”I”m not good with words, but I’ll work on that. Will you forgive me then?” 

Stiles was now listening, rapt because Derek actually appeared to have let his guard down. The smile was enigmatic. The acknowledgement of his seriously lack of verbosity sounded almost like a promise. And an apology.

Still, when had Stiles ever been about making things easy? ”So you’re just going to drop a bomb like — like I’m your mate, and then tell me to sit and stay until you’re ready to do something about it?” Stiles asked, bristling. 

“I _want_ you. In every way that might be understood. But I won’t compromise either of us by moving too fast. You’re worth waiting for,” Derek stated with supreme confidence. ”You’re looking at things from a human perspective. This mating bond, it’s for life. We don’t have to rush.”

Well, that certainly thawed Stiles more than it should have. The teen opened his mouth to argue further, but found the fight had gone out of him. ”You have to court me.” He and Lydia had discussed this, and Stiles was prepared to argue why it was important, to mount a defense for his reasons, to make Derek understand —

“I will,” Derek nodded.

Stiles’ breath hitched because there was no argument to that. None. Nada. ”Okay then,” he breathed out. ”Just — you better do it right or Lydia’s coming after you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sterekeverafter on tumblr. I'm slowly uploading all my work from tumblr to here.


End file.
